Hey guys! I'm playing Awakening right now, and let me say that they put the Rescue option on steroids. It's really frickin' weird. It's cool and all, but I don't use it that much. Anyway, this has got to be the fastest I've ever updated something. Seriously. Maybe I'm just that eager to write this. Eh heh. I hope you'll stick with me until the end!

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Snippet 2: Royal Guest

Today marks three months since the Resistance relocated to its current base. Life quickly returned to a relatively predictable pace. Macedon still has many advantages over us, but thanks to our new position, it became easier to swipe messages sent to and from the Palace. We gained an advantage for sure! However, an unexpected newcomer just might throw us off…

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"Six, seven, eight…" I was in the middle of taking an inventory of the infirmary's supplies. A bunch of brown containers were spread out evenly on the counter. My white quill marked a tally in my notepad for each number I counted aloud. "Seventeen, eighteen, nineteen…twenty." Twenty? There's only twenty Vulenaries? That's not nearly enough! Vulenaries are a simple and effective way of treating wounds in the absence of a staff, especially on the battlefield. Every fighter should carry one for safety's sake. Sigh…I'm going to ask specifically for Vulenaries on the next raid.

"Violette." A gruff voice snapped me out of my mental rant. The voice was familiar, though it wasn't one I heard too often. I turned my head to see none other than Coyote.

…Coyote?! He's in the room! How did I not notice that?! Flushing with embarrassment, I dropped everything on the floor and bowed respectfully. "Um, Coyote. What do you need?" His eyes flashed downwards. I then noticed that he was carrying an unconscious woman in his arms. My, she looked battered.

"This is Princess Nyna of Archanea." Ah, so that's why she's dressed in such an extravagant fashion. "I found her during the skirmish at the border. How she reached Aurelis is a mystery to me, but it's clear that she had a rough journey. She needs immediate attention."

"O-Of course! You can count on me." I led him to the bed closest to the window. I smoothed the sheets out and he laid her down gently.

Coyote nodded. "I'll come to check on her later." He walked out, presumably to attend some other business. That man is always so busy managing the whole Resistance. I'm surprised that he personally came up to me…though I'm more shocked that he tasked me with caring for a princess!

I examined my sleeping patient. Her silky dress was covered in dirt and torn in a bunch of places. Small cuts were littered all over her body, and her hair ornaments were falling out. Despite her current condition, she was stunningly beautiful; her pale skin seemed like porcelain and her golden locks shimmered in the sunlight from the window. I felt as though I was looking at one of those delicate damsels that always get saved by some valiant knight in fairy tales…Okay, that's enough gawking. I've got to tend to her wounds.

Well, none of them could be considered deep. They were as bad as paper cuts. I don't even need my staff to heal them. While I channeled my magic, I noted the aura that emanated from the princess. It indicated that she possessed great power; she must have been trained in the magical arts. Whether she was proficient with staves like me or with tomes was something I couldn't determine. Perhaps she could utilize both. Whatever she wields, she is probably very skilled with it.

Aside from all the little cuts, the princess was in good health. She was simply exhausted and would need plenty of rest. I picked up the stuff I dropped earlier and stored away everything, then hummed to myself. What do I do now? I wanted to leave and see what other people are doing, but Coyote said he'd come back and I don't know when that's supposed to be. Besides, I couldn't just leave my patient alone. The pile of books in the corner caught my eye. I shifted through all the titles and pulled out a thick book that I haven't read yet. "Alice Human Sacrifice" was etched on its black cover. The extremely vague summary struck me as suspicious…With a shrug, I sat on the stool near the window and flipped to the first page.

I was in the middle of a particularly gory passage when I heard the bed creak. I looked to see the princess sitting up, her eyes darting around in confusion. I put my book down and stood up. I…tried to say something, but no sound came out of my mouth. Goodness, where did my voice go?

"…Oh." She turned her full attention to me when she noticed my presence. She still seemed to be a little dazed. "Who might you be?"

I blinked. Heat rushed to my face, rendering me unable to complete a coherent thought. "I-I'm Violette, and you're in the…the, uh…infirmary. Coyote carried you…here and asked me to watch over you, Princess." I stammered, bowing on instinct.

She stared at me with a blank face for a minute, and then nodded. "I see. Thank you." A silence set in as she ran her fingers down her sleeve, tracing the rips and tears where small injuries used to be. Her expression gradually shifted to a sorrowful one.

"Uhm…Are you feeling all right?"

"I am fine." She said nothing more.

I resisted the urge to sigh. She obviously wasn't interested in conversing with me. Perhaps she simply had too much on her mind; fleeing her country must have been very difficult. ..Hey, wait a minute. Archanea was conquered before Aurelis! Everyone believed that the whole royal family was captured and executed. How did she…?

Perhaps I shouldn't ask, but curiosity got the better of me. "If you don't mind me asking…How did you get to Aurelis, Princess?"

"I do mind you asking." She responded sharply, narrowing her eyes at me. Every syllable was stressed for emphasis.

I flinched at the harsh tone. "I-I'm sorry."

For a few long moments, she maintained that cold gaze, but then I heard her release a light breath. "…No. I should apologize. That was unnecessary. It's just that…it's a tale that I'm not willing to share. Please understand."

"Yes, of course!" I might have said something more if I didn't hear soft footsteps. The princess and I turned our heads to the door, acknowledging Coyote's entrance.

"Prince Hardin." She greeted, moving off of the bed to curtsy. Ah, she must have fully recovered now. I took a small bow and stepped to the side. Coyote nodded in my direction.

"Princess Nyna. My brother and I are very relieved to see that you're safe. We feared the worst when we heard that Pales fell."

"Yes, that was…the darkest day of my life. My whole family was publicly executed." She closed her eyes and shook her head, as if to dispel unpleasant memories. Taking in a deep breath, she continued. "My grief comes not only from losing loved ones, but also from knowing that Archanea has failed in its duty as the Holy Kingdom."

Coyote gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "All is not lost yet. Aurelis may be in tatters, but we are still fighting. Join your might with ours, and…" His voice faded out as he stopped and looked around the room. "…Ah. Pardon me, but I believe that we should continue this discussion elsewhere." He made an odd face at me. I suppose that's his version of a sheepish expression.

The princess nodded and sent me an apologetic glance. They must think they're insulting me somehow. On the contrary, I don't mind at all. I actually feel like I'm eavesdropping on some important secret.

"Come. I'll take you to where my brother is. He's eager to meet with you." Coyote led Princess Nyna out of the room.

Now I was completely alone. I returned to the stool by the window, absentmindedly taking a seat while contemplating the situation. The rulers of Aurelis and Archanea have always had close ties. The nations themselves were bonded with an alliance. Ever since Gra betrayed Altea, I've been a bit wary of our supposed ally, wondering if Aurelis would suffer the same fate. My short meeting with Princess Nyna put my worries at ease; I've only known her for a couple of minutes, but I can already have faith in her character. I'm relieved, though I wonder what will happen now. I presume that the princess will stay with the Resistance, seeing as she has nowhere else to go…Eh, whatever happens, I'm sure it'll be all right. Coyote is leading us, after all.

I'm not sure what to do now. There are no patients to take care of, and the room is all clean. I looked out the window. The sun was setting, painting the sky a brilliant shade of red. Red…That means we'll have good weather tomorrow. I couldn't help but twitch, though; red is also the color of blood…and Macedonian armor. Hoping to get that disturbing thought out of my mind, I hastily grabbed the nearby book and immersed myself in its tale.

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I don't think I know what I'm doing. I was stuck on the dialogue, especially the lines between Violette and Nyna. Then I had no clue how to end. Ugh, so much uncertainty. Anyway, thanks for reading! Oh, and I would love some feedback, especially concerning Violette. How is she as a character? Does she look like a Mary Sue in any way? I don't think so, but I could be terribly wrong...